The Price Paid
by Flyingshadow451
Summary: Brook dreams about a mysterious stone gate and a mysterious white silhouette... Suddenly, the musician begins to doubt everything he knew about the Yomi-Yomi no Mi. His world is turned upside-down when he realizes that maybe he doesn't have to remain as a skeleton for the rest of eternity. Focuses on Brook as he begins to learn about an extinct power called Alchemy... XD
1. Chapter 1

A/N Hello! Flyingshadow451 here! This story is my third fanfiction, Woohoo! This one is a crossover between Eiichiro Oda's _One Piece _and Hiromu Arakawa's _Fullmetal Alchemist_!

I do not own either of these wonderful mangas. If I did, they wouldn't be as popular as they are…

Anywho, Read, Enjoy, and Review!

_The Price Paid_

Chapter One_: The Toll_

Brook stood by the railing, absently playing a soothing tune on his violin. The moon had reached its peak and was preparing for its slow descent; absolutely breathtaking. The skeleton was so grateful that he was alive to behold this wonderful presentation of Nature and those yet to come. He was infinitely more grateful that he was alive to travel with his newfound crew, the Straw-hats. He was overjoyed at the prospect of finally fulfilling a promise he made decades ago to an old friend. For so many years he has been wracked with guilt and abandonment on that ghost ship, haunted with the memories of the friends that he had lost. Now, however, he has a chance to redeem himself to the only remainder of his past life, the young (or rather old now) whale Laboon.

He paused for a moment, and his music faded into the still, night air. Would Laboon even recognize him, once he returns to Reverse Mountain? He was literally nothing but bones now, _could_ the whale be convinced that this walking skeleton was the friend he was waiting so patiently for? If he could not, he would continue wasting his life away in those waters, waiting for the pirate crew that would never come. The Rumbar Pirates.

Brook leaned heavily against the smooth, wooden railing and stared blankly into the black water below. But… if he _does_ manage to reach to Laboon, what next? Would he stay with the Straw-hat pirates, toting along the huge whale, until Luffy achieves his dream? Or would he part from the rambunctious crew, and journey alone with his old friend instead? Would he stay until they are all… gone?

He couldn't die, not from age anyways, so what would he do after everyone else disappears from this world? Would he spend the rest of eternity, wandering from one crew to the next, until he is either claimed by the sea, or crumbled to dust? So many questions…

The musician snapped his head up. The moon was very close to the horizon. Oh dear! His watch ended a long time ago! He suddenly became aware of the bone-deep exhaustion (Yohoho, skull joke!) that weighed down his limbs. Wearily, he trudged into the men's quarters and roused Chopper. After the little doctor disappeared outside, Brook sank down onto his hammock and instantly became dead to the world (Yohoho!).

There was white all around him. The tall musician glanced around, but saw nothing as far as the eye can see… not that he had any! He turned around, but there was only white there too. Brook sighed; okay, this was getting pretty boring pretty fast. He turned back around, thinking about what to do next, and leaped up in surprise. Where there was once nothing but blinding white, now stood a towering gray gate made out of stone.

For some reason, it looked familiar to the skeleton. He stepped forward and ran his long, bony fingers across the engraved surface. There were words, but Brook couldn't understand what they said. They appeared to be from another language. Perhaps Robin-san would know….

"**Are you back for more?**" A whisper sounded behind him.

The skeleton whipped around and fixed his frightened, eyeless gaze on a white silhouette. It sat comfortably on the white ground and cocked its head at the pirate. A wide grin spread across its translucent yet opaque face.

"More? More of what? Who are you?" Brook queried, mystified at this strange being.

"**You don't remember? Sorry, but I'm not in the mood for reintroductions at the moment. You already paid the toll for coming back to life.**" The silhouette waved a hand in nonchalance.

Brook heard a loud creak behind him, "Toll…?" he turned.

And stood paralyzed.

The doors to the gate had opened just a crack, but that was more than enough.

It was pitch-black inside the gate, the darkness interrupted only by a face. A bone-achingly familiar face; it was so familiar that it _hurt_.

His face.

It smiled at Brook and a scream tore out of his throat.

It had no teeth.

Brook shot up out of bed and let out a blood-curdling shriek.

Hell broke loose.

Instantly, Zoro was crouching on the floor, drawing his three _katanas _with a murderous gleam in his eye. Usopp bolted to the other side of the men's room, screeching in terror and began shimmying along the wall. Franky sat up drowsily after Chopper cried out, activated his Guard Point, and knocked him out of his hammock. Luffy continued to sleep peacefully, muttering something about screaming meat.

As soon as everyone calmed down and the first mate was no longer threatening to slice everything up, Brook sincerely apologized to them. Before they could ask what happened, however, Luffy sat up with a snort and blearily looked about him. A heartbeat later, he shot out of his bed, hollering for meat. He threw the door open and the men followed their over-enthusiastic captain outside onto the grass-covered deck of their beloved ship, the _Thousand Sunny_.

Brook felt relieved. He was glad that he didn't have to explain what had happened. For some reason, he felt like he couldn't bring himself to tell his crewmates that he got scared by his face. He looked up to see Luffy attempting to get into the galley, only to be viciously kicked in the head by a long, black-clad leg. Sanji poked his head out and sniffed in slight disdain when he saw the men.

"Alright, breakfast is ready, shitheads," He told them while fending off a bunch of rubber limbs.

Brook entered the galley tentatively and took in the wonderful aromas. He could almost feel himself salivating when his hollow gaze fell on the arrangement of crepes and fresh fruit on the table. There was even a large silver platter of sausage links and crisp bacon strips, much to the captain's delight.

The two women, Nami and Robin, were finishing up their breakfasts as the male crewmembers settled noisily around the table. The navigator sipped at a glass of freshly squeezed _mikan_ juice while the raven-haired woman nursed a cup of black coffee. Sanji crossed his arms and glared at his decidedly less-appealing crewmates.

"What was that awful racket you guys were making earlier? You were disturbing my beautiful doves!" the cook growled.

Brook was wildly trying to come up with an excuse when Zoro pointed at him, his cheeks bulging with crepes, "He started it; he began screaming out of nowhere like a maniac."

Nami set down her glass and frowned, "Brook?"

Everyone fixed their eyes on the musician, who began to sweat, "What _did_ happen?" Usopp asked, "You scared the living daylights out of us! Err, I mean, everyone but the Great Captain Usopp!"

Brook really started sweating, "Oh! I am a little embarrassed to say this, but I thought for a moment that Usopp-san's nose was a snake! Yohoho!"

"Shishishi! You guys are hilarious!" Luffy giggled as he packed Zoro's sausages into his overstuffed cheeks.

"Oi, Luffy! _Teme_…!" The swordsman exclaimed and punched the back of his head.

"That's right! My nose has terrified many fearsome foes…!" Usopp began proudly, then it sank in, "Oi, Brook. That's not nice!" he sputtered in outrage.

Nami sighed in exasperation and returned to studying one of her maps. Chopper was screeching at Zoro as he performed the Heimlich maneuver on Luffy, who was choking on the stolen food. Sanji resumed washing the dishes. Franky was slapping the flustered sniper and began to describe his _SUPER_ new device. Brook sighed to himself, relieved that they all believed him.

Or almost everyone, that is.

When the musician glanced up, he caught Robin's piercing blue gaze. She smiled knowingly at him and took a sip of her coffee.

Nothing gets past their brilliant archeologist.

Sooner or later, she's going to find out.

A/N There you go folks! *Claps hands* Oh, I'm really excited! This is my first crossover, so could you help me out? Please review and give me your thoughts! Kudasai? S'il vous plat? Pretty please? I hope you all enjoyed!


	2. Chapter 2: Old Chemistry

A/N Domo! Konnichiwa! Here is the second chapter to _The Price Paid_…

To **DreadGod**: Thanks for reviewing, dude! XD I hope my story keeps you well entertained! Let me know if you have any suggestions!

To Everyone Else: Thank you for reading my story!

I do NOT own _One Piece _or _Fullmetal Alchemist _XD

…

_The Price Paid_

Chapter 2: _Old Chemistry_

The skeleton was sitting cross-legged on the grassy deck by the railing when the tall, raven-haired woman quietly opened up a lawn chair and stretched out in the sun nearby. She paid him no mind as he shifted in discomfort. Why, anyone would think that she was just there to sunbathe, but Brook was wiser. He set down his violin and turned his hollow gaze to her.

He tried to play innocent, "Would you like me to play you a song, Robin-san?"

The archeologist smiled discreetly, "No thank you, Musician-san… but you know… I'm kind of in the mood for a story."

Brook tugged nervously at a tuft of grass, "I am not sure I am nearly as good a storyteller as Usopp-san is... What kind of story would you like to hear?"

"Yes, but Nose-san likes to stretch the truth a lot… Would you retell this morning's amusing mishap?" She pushed up her sunglasses and met his uncertain gaze with her steady, ice-blue eyes. Yes, he was not talented at fabricated stories… she wanted to hear the truth. And suddenly, he _wanted_ to tell her. The fear he felt whenever he remembered the dream was something that he couldn't keep to himself easily. Normally, he would compose a song to relieve any excess emotions or pent-up stress… but all morning he couldn't figure how to play about his fear.

"It was a dream," he said simply, but knew that she would want some more detail, "I was in a white place, it was like I was standing in nothing but light. I looked around but there was nothing to see. When I turned around, though, a gate appeared. It looked really old and it was made of gray stone. There was some engravings in it. A tree and some foreign words…" When he described the gate, the woman's gaze became more intense, "Then, a white silhouette appeared and talked to me… it said something that suggests that I was there before and it talked about a toll that I already paid for coming back to life… Finally, the gate opened just a crack and I saw my face amidst an abyss of darkness. Then it smiled at me but…" Brook shuddered as he remembered, "I had no teeth. When I woke, I was screaming."

The sea breeze picked up and stirred Robin's jet black hair. Seagulls cried from somewhere far overhead. The archeologist sat back in her chair and stared at the endless blue sky as she pondered her _nakama's _dream. The mention of the gate, the silhouette, and, especially, the toll all set her mind buzzing. She tried to recall why this all sounded familiar… Brook in the meantime, stilled in his nervous shifting and finally relaxed the first time that day. The musician was relieved that he got that out of his chest, and was encouraged by Robin's contemplative expression. Why he ever thought that his fears would be met with disapproval was beyond him. Robin was his _nakama_, he should learn to fully appreciate that…

"Musician-san," The woman's soft voice snapped him out of his thoughts, "I believe I have read something of similar nature before… If you don't mind, could I delve in my collection and recover information concerning your dream? Of course, I would show you what I find…"

"Oh," Brook's jaw fell open, "Um…" He would really like to just forget about the whole ordeal, but some deep-rooted curiosity spoke out instead, "Yes! That would help a lot, Robin-san. If it doesn't trouble you…"

"Of course not," Robin chuckled and began to fold up her chair, "I always loved mysteries."

_Mysteries_? The skeleton wouldn't really consider his dream a mystery, but if Robin saw something more in his dream than he did, then he wouldn't speak against it. It was rather puzzling; he rarely ever had nightmares…

"Let me help you," Brook insisted as he stood and picked up the lawn chair. Robin didn't protest as the tall skeleton carried it over to the storage and tucked it inside. She smiled when he reappeared and gave him a little wave of thanks before disappearing into her room.

…

Nighttime had fallen long before Robin finally procured the object of her search. A cricket had mysteriously boarded the _Sunny _-go the last time they docked; it filled the cool, humid air with its solemn chirping. Robin smiled to herself, if Musician-san was on watch, he would be sure to accompany the lonely insect by playing along with it on his instrument.

Nami rolled over under her covers, breathing softly through her mouth as she slept. Robin kept the lamp light low so she didn't wake the hard-working navigator. Finally, the older woman found a small, leather-bound notebook in the back of her drawer. As she flipped through the yellowed pages, she briefly reread its contents. Yes, this was it…

…

After breakfast the next morning, the archeologist found an opportunity to speak with Brook. It was his turn to wash the men's clothes that week, and Robin was quick to offer Nami to take over her turn. The navigator didn't ask why; she just smiled and took the freed time to work on her maps. The raven-haired woman lifted up the laundry basket and calmly shouldered her way into the washroom.

The skeleton looked up from where he scrubbed at a sudsy white shirt, Zoro's to be precise.

"Oh, you have laundry too this week?" he asked as she tipped the clothes into the washtub and sprouted several disembodied hands out of the tub's sides.

"I do," she replied as she began to simultaneously soak and scrub five blouses. She took a seat at the other side of the room and gave him a meaningful glance.

Brook missed it; he was too busy thinking about something else, "_Ano_… Robin-san, if you don't mind me asking…"

"Yes?"

The skeleton fixed his hollow gaze at the soapy water where Robin's hands were at work, "Would you show me your panties?"

Robin smiled.

…

After the musician had cried and pleaded for her not to snap his spine, Robin dissipated the arms that she had used to double him over backwards and rested her chin in her hand. Brook panted slightly as he brushed himself down. _I could have been dead there… Oh, but I'm already dead!_

"I found something that you may be interested in," Robin then pulled the small notebook out of her pocket as though nothing happened. Scary woman.

Brook looked up curiously at the old journal, "What's that?"

"It is notes about an old art called Alchemy," she handed it to him, "Have you heard of it?"

Taking it from her, the skeleton thought out loud, "It's the old form of chemistry, isn't it?"

"Essentially, yes. But there is a lot more to it than meets the eye… It's quite fascinating. It is the comprehension, deconstruction, and reconstruction of all matter using the energy of the earth as a catalyst. There is an article concerning a taboo in alchemy… human transmutation. You should take a look."

Running a finger along the worn cover, Brook sighed, "Thank you so much, Robin-san. You have no idea how much this helps me."

"Let me know if there is anything else that is bothering you. We don't want our musician to rot and fester in the inside from pent-up emotions and worries," At that, she wrung out the last of the clothes and proceeded to take them to the rinsing washtub.

Really, she had some frightening thoughts, that woman.

Brook tucked the little book into his breast pocket and picked up Zoro's shirt again. It was absolutely wasted; covered in tears and stains from his intensive training sessions. He was still the same Zoro…

Now that he thought about it, Robin was the same too, and everyone else. Robin was still the intelligent, dark woman from two years ago. Everyone was the same as they were, falling back into their old chemistry easily. Chopper still cared about everyone and healed their ailments, Sanji still fawned after the women and fought with the swordsman, Luffy still led his crew with bounding enthusiasm and protected them with his strength, Nami still guided them along the safest route with masked affection and sternly put them in place when needed, Zoro still slept in the oddest situations and trained to protect their dreams, Franky still built his SUPER oddities and boosted their spirits, and Usopp still told his heart-warming lies to entertain the crew…

_Hmm,_ the musician thought to himself, _Old Chemistry…_

…..

A/N Auuug… I can't write anymore! It's 2:33 am as of now… XD Thank you for reading! Please review and tell me how my pooped-out-brain did writing this! For now, _Oyasumi nasai! _Good Night!


	3. Chapter 3: Alchemy and Such

A/N Konbanwa! I have a splitting headache so forgive me if this chapter isn't its usual quality...

To **xlunatica : **Don't worry about Zoro, he will voice his suspicions later... as for Brook learning alchemy, we shall see XD (Dun-duun!)

To **DreadGod **: Thank you for PMing me! I haven't really considered mixing the characters... but now you got my brain juices boiling! (ugh, that sounds pretty disgusting, lol)... I am glad you like Robin, it's a pain to keep her in character!

To everyone else: Please enjoy!

I don't own either manga ( I'm getting lazy with the disclaimer)

...

_The Price Paid_

Chapter 3: _Alchemy and Such_

Luffy's familiar exuberant cry rang out, "Alright! _Shima, shima shima_! There's an island guys!"

Brook glanced up from where he was hanging the laundry on the clothesline. The sea breeze tugged lightly at his afro, cooling the sweat on his forehead. It was strange, he had no idea how he sweated, but he did. The little notebook pressed a little harder against his ribcage, reassuring him of answers yet to come. He was curious about this alchemy and why he dreamt of anything relating to the sort. Perhaps when they reach the port, he would get lucky and watch _Sunny_-go. Then he would finally get to read the promising little book...

There was a resounding snap of rubber and the happy-go-lucky captain soared over the crow's nest. The boy landed perfectly on the clothesline, bringing all of the freshly-cleaned laundry down onto the not-so-clean deck. He sat up amongst the pile of damp shirts, pants, and underwear and let out a peal of laughter when he caught the musician's mortified expression.

"Ahh,_ warui, warui,_" Luffy grinned sheepishly, bowing his head with regret. Then at that moment his stomach growled fiercely and the young captain was instantly charging towards the galley, demanding a pirate-_bento_. In his hurry, he tripped over the swordsman and roused him from his nap. Luffy was chased away with a halfhearted growl and the green-haired man sat up with a wide yawn. He gave a Brook a look that made him want to squirm. It was very intense, even for Zoro, like he was in deep thought.

The older swordsman thought that it would be best to avoid him for a while...

...

When they drew the straws from the navigator's closed fist, Brook was pleased to find that he pulled the short one. While everyone else explored at the port, he would stay with the ship. Finally, he could check out the contents of the journal without worrying about unwanted eyes peering over his shoulder. He didn't want to explain himself to anymore people; for now, one was enough.

The island they arrived at was a very curious one indeed. Its atmosphere was very dry and hot, and the sizeable landmass was covered in sandy dunes and sparse foilage. The way his younger crewmates' eyes lit up when they gazed upon it left him wondering what made it so special. He noticed that Franky was rubbing his cropped, cyan blue hair in a perplexed sort of way. Ah, so he wasn't alone in this matter.

"Ahh, brings back memories, doesn't it?" Usopp sighed after he breathed in a large lungful of the scorching, dusty air and sneezing as a result.

"Yes, the island is smaller, but it is pretty similar to Alabasta!" Nami replied with a wistful grin on her flushed face.

Luffy stared at the small port and cocked his head to the side, "I wonder how Vivi is doing?"

"Ohh! I am positive that she is beaming with her angelic charm!" Sanji twirled around, his cheek bones a light shade of pink as he imagined this 'Vivi', "Vivi-chan's beauty and grace have no bounds!"

"I am amazed," Zoro responded while crossing his arms, sounding genuine, "Your stupidity has no bounds."

"What was that, _Marimo_-brain?!" the cook snarled, whipping around into a fighting stance, "Did I actually hear a sentence from that shitty mug of yours? I had no idea plants could talk!"

"_Nani_?! Bastard..."

"Ha..." Chopper's voice sounded over the deadly duo's scuffling and swearing, "I love reminiscing, but can we make this a short stay? I really can't stand the heat..."

Nami gave the little docter a gentle smile and ruffled his short, thick fur, "We'll stay just long enough for the Log Pose to set, okay?"

"Okay..." the reindeer huffed out, too hot to complain further.

Brook turned to the large cyborg and tugged at his collar in an attempt to cool himself, "Yohoho, do you know what they are talking about, Franky-san?"

"Nah, but you know what? I think I will be just super even without knowing... I'll just enjoy the current experiences that I have with the crew," The shipwright grinned and took a large swig from his cola bottle, "If you get hung up over the past, you'll never be happy."

The skeleton nodded, turning what the cyborg said over in his head. He could relate to an extent... when he was all alone on the ghost ship left with nothing but his past and the clothes on his bony frame, he had fallen into an abyss of despair from which he believed he would never escape.

...

The young captain threw himself overboard, onto the blazing sandy shore, "_Minna_! Let's go!" he shouted in jubilance.

Chuckling, Brook watched in amusement as Luffy jumped on Sanji, demanding for another lunchbox. He was promptly kicked in the face while Nami scolded him for eating his before they even departed. Usopp had to leap out of the way when the strawhat boy was sent flying into a nearby dune by the navigator. Brook couldn't help but guffaw, earning him an exasperated pout from the red-haired girl.

After a few minutes of arguing and lunchbox-packing, the eight younger members of the Strawhat crew finally, and truly, departed, leaving Brook to his own devices. The tall skeleton dutifully checked all sides of the ship and the horizons for any threats before finally pulling the leather-bound book out of his breastpocket.

His bony fingers ran across the worn cover, marveling at the design stamped into the front... a tree and foreign words. He was now more curious than ever to read about this alchemy and learn why he had a dream about something he was sure he had never encountered before. Gingerly, he opened the cover and looked at the first page. Everything was handwritten in neat ink.

_Intro_

_Alchemy, the harnessing of energy to comprehend, deconstruct, and reconstruct matter utilizing transmutation circles. Transmutation circles are the guide of an alchemical reaction, using several lines and key images to represent desired form of deconstruction and reconstruction, after one first comprehends the matter and elemental composition..._

_...In order to obtain, something of equal value must be lost. Because of this alchemical principal, there are two transmutations that must never be performed under any circumstances: transmuting lead to gold, and transmuting humans. Transmuting gold will throw any economy into chaos and the value of gold will be reconsidered, thus making your efforts null. Human transmutation always fails, and the consequences are brutal and unpredictable._

Brook started as he read. What? Why did human transmutation fail? From what he had read, alchemists have long ago discovered the elemental composition of a human body. He flipped back to the page talking about the body... there was a list right there! Not only that, but they also listed the amounts needed!

The skeleton fervently flipped back to the table of contents, let's see... human transmutation... Ah, there it was. It had a whole chapter dedicated to the subject! He began to furiously turn the pages when he heard a jarring thump and a loud yawn. The musician glanced up. Zoro popped his neck and gave Brook that intimidating look again. His eye fell onto the open book in Brook's lap.

"What's that?"

...

A/N This chapter went nowhere, in my opinion... I'm sorryX(


	4. Chapter 4: Well Then

A/N Ooh... I'm a little amazed at the attention this story is getting. THANK YOU, GUYS! I do apologize if the characters are a little OOC, and if the story appears to be dragging along...

to **xlunatica**: OMG, thank you for the very constructive review you posted!... Oh yeah, I forgot that it's not just lead, I was too busy trying to figure out how to write the passages in the journal in an informational way. Robin's character is a little shaky for me so I had a hard time judging what her actions would be in that part since she never really got the chance to respond in the Canon storyline, everybody else just jumped in, (unless I missed something in a chapter/episode?)... I'll ease up on Zoro's scary mode too... as for the part about his shirt, I meant 'tears' like rips... sorry bout the confusion. This fanfic takes place after the post-timeskip, and I meant newfound relatively, since he was alone for fifty years (though yes, it is debatable)... As for my use of japanese terms, I'll try to ease up on those too XD they are kinda ingrained into my brain... THANK YOU SO MUCH (you have no idea! lol)

I don't own nothin'! Please read, enjoy and review if you have the time!

...

_The Price Paid_

Chapter 4: _Well Then_

"What's that?"

Brook gulped and hurried to hide the little book behind his back as he scrambled up, "Oh, Zoro-san! What are you doing back so early?"

Zoro rested his hand on one of his hilts, and raised an eyebrow. His slate gray eye pinned the older swordsman in place. An eternity of silence went by before the first mate sight and scratched the back of his head. Brook could've sworn that he could hear his heartbeat, it must have been pounding so hard. Oh, but he didn't have-

"They all got lost before we even reached the town. So, I came back," Zoro shrugged and began to walk past the nervous skeleton. Brook turned as he went by, keeping the journal hidden behind his back. The green-haired man's steps slowed just for a heartbeat...

Brook blinked and it was already done. Zoro's hand, wrapped around the hilt of Shuusui, rested against Brook's pelvis. The musician glanced down in shock, not quite registering the scraping of metal against bone. The tip of the katana protruding from his lower back nudged the journal out of his fingertips and it fell with a small thump against the deck. Zoro withdrew the sword and sheathed it, then proceeded to walk around the stunned man to pick up the fallen book.

The first mate examined the cover, "Alchemy, huh?" He glanced up at the tall musician, who could only meet his sharp gaze with a dumbfounded look in his face.

Zoro sighed and handed the book to Brook, who silently took it with shaking hands, "You know, keeping secrets is not good, especially if it's from your own_ nakama_. I won't ask you what really happened this morning, but I expect you to trust us in the future."

And with that, the swordsman left Brook standing on the grassy deck, and headed to the galley. Probably off to find some sake... Brook couldn't help but wonder if Zoro's words meant something more, somewhere along the lines of _'if you have trouble trusting us, how can we continue to trust you?'_

_That's it_... the musician opened up the book. He was going to learn about human transmutation and tell the crew the truth. Twice now in one day he has been reminded of the importance of _nakama_, and he was still acting like a scared, mistrustful child. He silently berated himself for acting so silly. Why was he behaving so?

**Perhaps it's because you are afraid to lose them**... a familiar voice whispered over the stale, hot breeze. Brook's grip on the leather covers tightened. He wouldn't deny it.

_Human transmutation:_

_Human transmutation is the reconstruction of the human body using the elements as the foundation. It has never been truly successful, producing two common results: a bodily mass of flesh with little resemblance to the desired product which, if nurtured quickly enough, could be shaped into what is known as a homunculus, and the loss of something of the transmuter. Usually ranges from the loss of an appendage, an organ, or a sense. Sometimes multiple organs are lost or the whole body is taken. _

_Some alchemists who attempted human transmutation reported to have visions about a 'Gate of Truth', where one sees the truth about alchemy, the universe, and everything. However, these alchemists cannot recall exactly what the 'truth' was, leading many to be skeptical about the honesty about these claims. A trend that appeared between these alchemists is the ability to transmute without a circle._

_The Gate of Truth is described as an old stone gate, but the designs differ between each person. There is a being that has been seen by all, a faceless human with no definable details. _

_Human transmutation should never be attempted. _

The skeleton paused for a moment, if it should never be attempted, then why write all this information about it?

I_n some rare cases, what has been lost in the toll can be regained with the use of the legendary Philosopher's Stone. However, even then you have to pay a toll, even if it's not something personal. The all-powerful stone that can perform transmutations without a circle and enhance an alchemist's power is made of..._

Brook's jaw fell open when the page ended with an ugly tear. He flipped the page and saw that several more pages after that were torn out. There was no way Robin-san would have treated a book so harshly, so it must have been from a previous owner... but why? Now he was truly intrigued. The 'Gate' and the 'being' were similar to the ones in his dream, but he was positive that he never performed alchemy before, let alone human transmutation. He never even heard of it before today, other than obscure vague generals. Also, there was still the question whether or not alchemy actually works.

Well, he could probably give it a quick try... Brook loped across the deck and ducked under the galley door. Zoro looked up from where he sat at the table and set the bottle of sake down, watching the skeleton with mild interest. Brook strode over to the table and picked up a blank piece of paper and a piece of charcoal from where Usopp and Franky were drawing blueprints for a weapon that morning. Settling at the table across from the first mate, Brook opened the book and looked for a simple transmutation circle. Ah, there was the perfect one...

As the musician began to slowly sketch out the circle, Zoro leaned forward to get a closer look. He didn't ask anything, he just observed with a blank face. Brook painstakingly finished the circle for simple reconstruction and sat back with a satisfied sigh.

"Now then, I just need to find something small and broken..." he began to stand up. It shouldn't be too hard, especially with their clutz of a captain, the ever-quarreling swordsman and cook, and the sniper's and cyborg's experiments...

There was a crash, and the small white cup Zoro was using broke into small pieces on the floor. The green-haired man bent over and scooped up the shards with his bare hand, not caring when a few pieces drew blood. Then the swordsman set the pieces on the table before Brook.

When Brook just gawked at him, Zoro huffed in annoyance, "Well? Are you going to fix it?"

"Did you break that on purpose, Zoro-san? Sanji-san is going to have have a fit if I can't repair it..." Brook tried not to think about what the infuriated cook might do.

"Let him have a tantrum, that's all he's good at anyways," Zoro laid back, flicking his wounded hand in irritation, "If you can't fix it, that's fine. I prefer drinking out of the bottle. And it'll be nice to have a little spar with that obnoxious love-cook when he comes back."

The musician couldn't help but relax when he saw that Zoro was unconcerned about his fate. The man truly lived without regrets. Brook really admired that about him, one day he would love to be like that. Now then... the skeleton rubbed his hands together. He would really like a cup of black tea to calm his nerves, but that will have to wait. He arranged the broken pieces on the piece of paper and checked the floor for any missing shards. At last, he took a deep breath and placed his hands on the edge of the charcoal circle. Now he just had to harness the energy of the earth...how does he do that? He just wanted the cup to be fixed...

All of the sudden, there was a crackle of discharged energy and a flash of light. Brook stumbled back in surprise and fell on his bottom. Zoro leaned forward.

And there, sitting nice, fixed and neat the middle of the circle, was the cup.

"Well, then." Zoro said simply. No more words necessary.

...

A/N I was tossing the idea around of whether or not Brook can use alchemy... should this be a one-time fluke? Or should he harness this newfound power? I hope Zoro was more in character this chapter! Thank you for reading!


	5. Chap5: Understanding Circles and Nakama

A/N Domo! Konbanwa! How art thou all? I believe I got past the hard part... now we'll start seeing some action! Woohoo!

I do Not own anything! So no secret agents of the japanese copyright district appearing on my doorstep please... I will pee my pants.

...

_The Price Paid_

Chapter 5: _Understanding Circles and Nakama_

The weak cries of seagulls about to drop from heatstroke sounded from the open window in the galley. Sweat trickled down the back of Brook's neck and soaked into his collar as he gaped at the little cup.

"I-it's fixed...?" He gasped. Zoro picked it up and weighed it in his tanned hand. His expression was for the most part emotionless, except for a little intrigue. Setting it on the table, the swordsman sighed and poured more sake into it.

"Neat trick you got there. I guess I'll have to drink out of this pansy cup now since you worked so hard to fix it," he tilted his head back and downed the alcohol in one gulp, "I'm still going to piss off the cook, though. It's fun to push his buttons."

"Oh..." If the musician still had his flesh, he would have grinned, "Yohoho! That was exciting! My eyes were popping out of my head! Oh, but I do not have eyes! Yohoho!"

Zoro eyed the cup and decided to waterfall the sake from the bottle instead. He wiped the corners of his mouth and stood up from the table.

"I am going out for a walk, until those idiots get unlost," The galley door closed behind the swordsman.

Brook sat on the floor, happiness swelling in his chest. He actually performed alchemy! Which means the Gate of Truth could be real! His mind buzzed with possibilities... the being known as Truth had said that he already paid the toll for life, so did that mean that his flesh is actually still intact? Was his dream actually a memory? But how?

He had thought that his flesh had rotten away while he was a disembodied soul... could that not be true? He was sure that there was no alchemy involved...

Gah, so many quetions... he needed to take a step back and get his head together. Okay, breathe. Think... where did Zoro-san go?!

"Uh... Zoro-san?" Brook scrambled to his feet. He hurried outside and found no presence of the swordsman. Did he head back out? Oh dear, he was really going to get lost this time. Last time when he found his way back was a fluke among flukes. It wasn't like he could go after the wayward swordsman, he still had to watch the ship!

Brook sighed and sheilded his eyes from the blazing sun. How long have the others been gone now, a few hours? Running his fingers through his afro, Brook returned to the galley. He thoughtfully rubbed the moisture from his scalp between his fingers. He sweats, yet he has no sweat glands; he breathes, yet he has no lungs; he eats, yet he has no stomach... how could he function so, without flesh?

Brook's gaze fell on the crudely drawn transmutation circle. If his body was indeed existing inside the gate, then is it possible to get it back? The book said it could be done with the aid of the Philosopher's Stone... Brook clenched his hand, excited at the possibilities.

If he could get his flesh back, he could live with his crew and live a normal life! Laboon wouldn't have to see him in his frightening state either...

Well, he had plenty of time left to kill, so he could fiddle with alchemy a little more. He stepped back outside, this time with a fresh piece of paper and the journal. Let's see, what should he do now? Something that would make the others happy when they return.

Brook's eyeless gaze fell on Nami's orange trees, now sparse of delicious fruit. He snapped his fingers. That's it! Sitting crosslegged on the grass, the musician opened the journal to the desired page. Here it was...

_Plantae Alchemy_

_Plantae alchemy is the comprehension, deconstruction, and reconstruction of biochemistry within organisms in the Plantae Kingdom to manipulate them. It can be used to make plants grow, make them bear fruit, make them wither, or make them into different products varying from fiber for clothes to oil for fires. The alchemy focuses on the elements involved in the replication of cells to promote growth, or alterate it. It is very complex, though not nearly as much as Animalia alchemy or Human alchemy. When utilizing Plantae alchemy, one must understand the plant's part of the Great Cycle as an individual part and as a whole. Understanding its individual cycle in life is vital to succeeding in this form of alchemy._

_The transmutation circles are very precise for their desired effect to the desired organism. You must use much caution while drawing the circle, for it is the most important part in guiding the transmutation..._

Blah, blah, blah...

After reading the first few paragraphs, the skeleton began to get a headache. Goodness gracious, this stuff was way too complicated, not to mention repetitive! Music was so much easier to understand. Oh well, he could just copy another transmutation circle out of this section and just use that. It worked for the cup, so it should be fine...

Brook scanned the Plantae Alchemy section for any circles and after thirty pages, he found one at last. Using the charcoal again, he labored in drawing the circle under the intense heat. The edges of the white sheet fluttered as wave after wave of scalding air hit the deck of the _Sunny-go. _Finally, the musician finished and rushed over to Nami's trees on the upper deck. He chuckled to himself as he placed the paper in front of the trees and braced his hands against the black circle. He couldn't wait to see the look on his crewmates' faces when they returned to find themselves with a plethora of _mikan_...

There was a bright flash of green; Brook sheilded his eyes from the intense glare and looked up. Nothing happened. The branches of the orange trees remained just as bare of fruit as they were before the transmutation took place.

So what happened?

He slowly stood up and turned around, then his jaw dropped to the floor. Before him was a forest of grass over a few meters tall. It was taller than the trees on the lawn deck! Brook hesitantly stepped forward and took a few blades of the super long grass between his fingers. He gave an experimental tug on it, to confirm it wasn't a mirage from the heat.

Nah, that was the real thing.

Brook wiped his sweaty brow with a handkerchief and examined his journal. What went wrong? He returned to the page where he copied the transmutation circle and read some of the text on the page.

..._For example, the array of triangles and hexagons represent the bonds between glucose molecules found in plants, and the parallel lines within the central hexagon represent __**the blades of grass**__..._

The musician wanted to kick himself. He had just read that it wasn't as easy as that and he foolishly went ahead and assumed that everything would work the way he wanted...

"Oh my god, what happened to the grass?"

"What was that shitty musician up to?"

"Who messed with Sunny's lawn? That is just not SUPER!"

"Perhaps a devil fruit user came and hurt Musician-san with his power while we were away?"

"Hurt? Oh no! Someone find Brook and call a doctor!"

"Ch-chopper? You are a doctor..."

"BROOOOOOOOOKKK! Where are you?!"

When the skeleton heard his captain's cry, he snapped out of his daze and leapt over the railing to land lightly before his _nakama _on the shore.

"Yohoho! Welcome back guys! How were your ventures?" Brook laughed and tipped his hat. He got hit in the head by the angry navigator and fell onto his behind.

"What on earth happened?!" Nami growled, her eyes gleaming bright with distress. Realization hit Brook in the gut; she was worried about him. He glanced at everybody elses' faces and found varying degrees of the same concern. Poor Chopper was on the verge of tears. His eyes met with Robin's and she raised one arched eyebrow.

_Will you trust them and tell them?_

Yes, he would. The musician stood up solemly and brushed off the seat of his pants. He met their gazes and opened his mouth.

"Yohoho, I'm fine, everybody. I was just practicing an old art called Alchemy using a book that Robin let me borrow. The grass grew because of a mistake in a transmutation..." Man, he was explaining this all wrong...

"Tran-mu-whata?" Usopp scratched his chin.

"Oh, well... as long as you are okay, bro! Just be sure to cut the grass; I'll let you borrow a pair of SUPER shears!" Franky grinned widely and struck a pose.

"Wait Franky, those are my shears for my Pop Green garden! But of course the Great Captain Usopp will let you use the shears in your time of need!"

"Brook!" Chopper buried his tearstained face into his pant legand bawled, "I'm so habby dat you weren't hurt by a bad person!"

Robin smiled at the musician while Nami shook her head in disapproval and sighed. Sanji lit a cigarette.

Luffy tilted his head to the side and regarded his nakama with a stern look, "Brook, what exactly is alchemy?"

Brook became nervous, that look was very rare for their childish captain, "Umm... It is the comprehension, deconstruction, and reconstruction of matter and its chemical composition using the energy of the earth as the catalyst... it is an extinct power."

Luffy stared at Brook with his coal-black eyes until he was squirming with discomfort, "So..."

The heat was unbearable.

"It's a mystery power?" he smacked his fist into his palm, and his round eyes gleamed, "That's so coool!"

Ah, it was wonderful to have Luffy as his captain. He was so caring and understanding.

...

A/N Ahhh, I'm sorry for the long pause, I had to catch up on so many quizzes, essays, and homeworks because I have been testing for college preparation and visiting Universities... Though unfortunately, I don't have an excuse for the hiatus of my other story Spirits, heheh (Gets hit by a volley of tomatoes). I'm apologize about the sluggish pace, next chapter features action from a dangerous cult, and it will probably be twice as long as the previous chapters... Please stay tuned!


	6. Chapter 6: The Great Cause

A/N Domo, domo, domo ~ Flyingshadow451 here! The action is about to begin, the pace of the story is about to pick up! Hurrah!

To SomebodyLost: Thank you so much for your awesome spirit-boosting reviews! Those poor seagulls... I'm glad they caught your attention, lol! To answer your first review, I messed up on Truth... though it was just a dream. If Brook does bump into him in real life, I'll keep that idea of Truth wearing his flesh in mind, though it gives me goosebumps. Lol XD

To Sorariru: Hurrah the not-so-flashy-now-flashy Brook is indeed a... Oops, I'm not going to say anymore... spoilers! It's a himitsu (secret)! *Gets slapped for being mean to the poor reviewer*

To xlunatica: Thank you again for reading and reviewing! Your down-to-earth opinion is very valuable to me and I really appreciate your criticism... It helps me become a better writer! Lol, your review was the longest I've ever recieved!

I don't own neither One Piece nor Fullmetal Alchemist

...

_The Price Paid_

Chapter 6: _The Great Cause_

The crew departed the nostalgic summer island after resupplying, and after finding the lost swordsman. Cutting the wild grass with a pair of shears proved to take too long, so everyone pitched in to help, Zoro and Franky being the most helpful. The first mate used a katana and cleared a third of the deck with one sweep, then settled down to take a nap. The cyborg procured a buzz saw from inside his arm and sliced through the unruly blades. Brook laughed and reverted to his sword cane, slashing at the plants alongside his nakama. Usopp came after them with his shears and adjusted any strays to the perfect height.

Luffy picked up the clippings and was about to throw them overboard when he was wallopped upside the head by Nami, who explained the possible uses for it, all of which included some form of selling to make a profit.

"We have to dry it, Luffy," Nami smiled coyly, "So that way we can sell it, and _maybe _buy some meat." She stressed the maybe, but all Luffy heard was meat.

"Meat? That's a great idea!" He set clippings down with newfound care and darted into the galley, "SANJIIIIIII! Make me some MEAT!"

Brook laughed merrily and pulled out his guitar. Strumming the strings, he began to hum and tap his foot against the freshly-cut lawn. Chopper and Usopp danced together and Luffy, with his cheeks bulging with roasted pork, jumped into them to join the fun.

The skeleton chuckled, the whole time aware of the small bulge in his breast pocket, full of new knowledge and possibilities.

...

For the next week, Brook practiced alchemy and began to develop a basic understanding of transmutation circles. Triangles arranged in different ways represented different alchemical elements like earth, fire, air, water, and metal. Circles represented frigidity; when paired with the array for water, ice is formed. When you have clay, and a transmutation with the array of fire and frigidity is used, you could create simple ceramics.

The musician devotedly spent four hours just making a bunch of small ceramic cups, each one's design a little different as he gradually changed the circle. Brook could adapt some of the simple transmutation circles given in the journal to help with more complicated repairs. Usopp and Franky were particularly fascinated by this use of alchemy, asking him to fix some of their malfunctioning mechanisms and gadgets.

They stopped asking when the skeleton, who didn't understand the functions of the mechanism completely, ended up making it stop working altogether.

Well, it was a start.

"OW! Hey sis, there is an island up ahead!" Frankly swayed his hips and brought his forearms together in his super pose, accented with his brilliant smile. A wave hit the hull of the Thousand Sunny and rocketed dramatically into the air behind him with flawless timing, perfecting the scene.

Luffy's jaw dropped to the deck, "Wow, that's so coooooool!" then it sank in, "Ooooooh, an ISLAND!"

Nami brought up her binoculars, completely ignoring the cyborg's moment, "I see it, Franky! Alright everyone, we're landing in half an hour!"

"Hurray!" Usopp and Chopper linked arms and ran in a circle. Brook whipped out his guitar and began to strum an upbeat melody, in time to the young crewmates' footsteps. Luffy laughed his heart-warming laugh and clapped his sandals together.

Zoro opened his eye and sleepily observed their joviality with his usual aloofness. Robin closed her thick book and giggled to herself when the captain bowled the musician over in his overbearing manner. Nami sighed and massaged her temples with half-hearted disapproval, a ghost of a smile on her lips. A gorgeous aroma trickled through the window of the galley, announcing the close proximity of lunchtime.

Chopper hopped out of the way when the rough housing between the sniper, skeleton, and captain became too intense. The little doctor scuttled over to the railing where he attempted to strike a conversation with an albatross, his big brown eyes wide and friendly.

The albatross eyed the small crature with a wary black eye. _Didn't it understand the danger their floating nest was drifting to? Couldn't the furry animal and it's hairless companions sense the gut-wrenching aura of sinister malice emanating from the island? Poor thing, he looked so young and friendly. The sea bird heard the call of her mate and she glided away, refusing to reply to the creature's confused expression._

_Try to stay safe, little one._

Chopper frowned after the albatross flew away. Did he say something wrong? He had tried to greet the bird with his usual cheerful politeness...

The small reindeer turned toward the island. He couldn't put his hoof on it but something didn't feel quite right.

...

_'An ancient art, lost to all_

_Caused many men in past to fall_

_Before the gate, all is bare_

_Under Truth's glaring stare_

_An ancient art that enables all_

_Open doors, open gates_

_The weak and frail now have the gall_

_To try and change their petty fates_

_An ancient art, it threatens God_

_Those who try to cross his lands_

_Forever damned and forever awed_

_To run circles between his hands_

_Those who are chosen_

_Those who return_

_Will save us with knowledge_

_from Truth's hellish burn'_

Silence descended upon the formidable group of cloaked people as the chant ended. Several minutes passed but not one word slipped out. The quiet was unnatural in the presence of so many, one could suffocate in it or go mad. Finally, long after the air had gone stale and heavy, a small cloaked figure rose from it's kneeling position.

"_Lorem ipsum dolor sit._* Thank you all for gathering today," though the figure spoke in a soft voice, it carried through the stagnant air so all could hear, "I apologize for informing you all on such short notice, but an unusual circumstance has arisen. The island's famous soothsayer, Visus, has had a rather unusual prediction. She has seen that two strange men will arrive at the island. These men are described as a boy who has no internal structure, and a man who has no flesh. I have consulted with the elders and they believe these men have met Truth..."

A murmer swept across large group, whispers of shock, joy, and pure glee. The small figure cleared its throat, and silence crashed down on the group, more oppressing than it ever was before.

"Now, we understand what this all means. We have possibly found two more of the Chosen Ones. Before we get too excited, though, we must determine whether or not they have actually threaded in God's land and returned. We must acquire them without bringing attention to ourselves. It is not yet time for our existence to be known."

Another cloaked figure stood up and cleared his throat, earning a murderous gaze from the small one, "Excuse me, but how do we obtain the potential chosen ones? The other two were quite a handful, and they got away in the end-"

"Don't you _dare _mention them!" the voice was gentle, hardly a whisper, but the malevolent tone sent chills down the man's spine, "Don't you dare. Those two are being tracked as we speak, we will have them. Now, as for the other two, if they weren't difficult, they would not be worth our time. The Chosen Ones are strong," the small shape straightened its stance and the fire light lit up a round, pale face and shadowed dark, dark eyes.

"You are dismissed. _Silentium et lingua, eas*,_" At that, the crowd rose in unison.

As the cloaked mass filed out of the maze of tunnels, another small shape sprinted out of the shadows and halted by the speaker. The newcomer leaned toward him and a small giggle escaped from his pale lips when he heard the news. A ship had been spotted just over the horizon. High-powered telescopes revealed a few interesting members of the crew: a boy who bent and stretched like an invertebrate and a walking skeleton.

At last, the Chosen Ones were here...

...

"Nah, Broooook. I'm booooored!" Luffy pouted as he and his musician traversed the winding streets. He really wanted to explore the whole island, but Nami said no. It wasn't fair! He was captain, wasn't he?

"Yohohoho, would you like me to play a song to raise your spirits?" Brook chuckled as he watched his companion drag his feet along the ground, sympathizing with the boy wholeheartedly, "Nami wanted us to hunt down as many sales as we can, but we can take a break if you want."

Luffy's head popped up and a grin spread across his round face, "Yeah, play a really awesome song! And let's find something to eat, too!"

"Uh, didn't we just eat lunch while we were still with Lion-chan? And Sanji-san made you a bento to take with you..." Brooks jaw fell when Luffy held out the empty box unabashedly. Well, he wasn't really surprised, but he just couldn't believe how untameable the captain's stomach was sometimes, "Yohoho, I guess we can go find a bite to eat. I'm rather hungry myself..."

"Yosh! Let's eat!" Luffy's loud cry popped the musician's eardrums. Oh, but he didn't have any eardrums, yohoho! Oh wait, but did he? Ever since he learned about alchemy, his skull jokes have gotten much weaker. Mainly because there was always the 'what if?'... The growling in his captain's stomach temporarily distracted him from his thoughts. And so did the aromas.

Hardly anything could compare to their brilliant chef's cooking, but these scents were getting dangerously close. No doubt Sanji-san would be devoted to learning this island's recipes today.

The skeleton took his violin out of the case strapped to his back with utmost care and drew out the bow. As he followed the boy's lead, he pressed the horse hair against the taut strings and began to saw gently. With careful, measured flicks of his wrist and arm, Brook produced a lilting, relaxed pace that suited the bustling market. Up ahead, he watched Luffy's head slowly bob up and down. Finally, The boy's nose led them to a cart that sold something that resembled pancakes, but they were extremely thin.

"Naa, what's that?" Luffy tilted his head to the side and began drooling when the man began to top the pancakes with savory meats and crisp vegetables, "It looks delicious!"

"You never tried crepe before?" the tanned man grinned at the kid's expression. Ah, so that's why they looked familiar. Brook was used to seeing them topped with fruit and creme, since Sanji tended to alter his cooking in order to please the ladies.

"I'll have some! I want to try some creeps!" Luffy excitedly hopped up and down.

"Crepes," the man corrected with a small smile, "How many?"

"Fifteen!"

The man guffawed and leaned across the counter, "Oi, could you even eat that many, boy?"

The captain nodded enthusiastically and bounced with impatience. The man shrugged and began preparing the food. Soon, the smell of roasted meat engulfed the two pirates. Luffy couldn't stop salivating the whole entire time.

"Alright, that will be 450 beris," The man announced as he set the food before them. He waited patiently as Luffy fished out the paper envelope that Nami gave them to spend for themselves. After he counted out the coins, the grinning captain scooped the crepes into his rubbery arms and marched off with Brook in tow. They sat a little ways away and the black-haired boy began to ravenously devour the food. Although the musician was hungry, he was too lost in his thoughts to mind.

Suddenly, something warm found its way under Brook's nose, jolting him out of his reverie, "Oi, Brook? I started eating without really thinking and I forgot to give you some. You can have the rest!" the skeleton's hands were filled with four wrapped crepes and Luffy guilty bowed his head.

"Oh, thank you Luffy-san!" he gingerly unwrapped one and took a bite. Oh, how his tastebuds exploded with flavor! He chewed in bliss and quickly finished the first one.

"Shishishi, they are good right?!" the boy chuckled and rested his chin on his knees. Brook resumed to finish the second one with the same gusto.

"Oh my, they are delicious! Yohoho!" The skeleton wiped his mouth with his sleeve and let out a hearty burp, "Ah, but unfortunately, I can't eat anymore. Would you like to have the other two?"

Before he even finished his sentence, the captain's hands took back the crepes and stuffed them in his cheeks, "Yesh, I wood! 'Sanks Book!"

With his hands suddenly vacant of the food's warmth, Brook noticed just how chilly the air was. He glanced up to see that the sun was covered by dark clouds. Something wet and cold hit the back of his hand. Another hit him in the forehead and rolled down into his vacant eye socket. Nami did mention something about rain coming...

"Hahaha!" Luffy let out a peal of laughter as he stomped his sandals into puddles when the rain picked up. The people in the street swifly locked up their stores and took cover in their homes. Brook remained sitting in the mud as he let the captain play a little longer. Within a short period of time, Brook was soaked to the bone. Nothing could be heard except for Luffy's chortling, the rain, and the occasional squelch of mud.

The skeleton stood up and the boy silently stopped beside him in unspoken agreement. It was fun to stay out in the rain, but Chopper wouldn't be too happy if they caught a cold. Luffy smiled up at his musician from under the brim of his strawhat, his eyes crinkled and dimples forming in his cheeks. He had somehow managed to get mud on the red band. Brook chuckled and readjusted the strap to his violin case.

"Let's go, Brook,"

"Ah, and we haven't found a single sale for Nami-san..."

The two pirates walked side by side in comfortable silence until they reached the end of the street. The formidable captain halted in his tracks and Brook opened his mouth in surprise.

"Brook, do you sense them?" Luffy kept his head down, but his fists clenched by his side, "We are not alone."

"Huh?" the skeleton peered around him, trying to see exactly who Luffy was talking about. He couldn't see anything through the heavy rainfall.

"My, you are quite perceptive," A small cloaked figure dropped down from above and landed a few feet before the pirates. It straighted and pulled down its hood. The boy shook his head as the rain began to collect in his wiry black hair. He smiled, his teeth stark white against his ebony skin.

"Who are you?" Luffy asked, his tone genuinely open and curious. His posture was relaxed, completely different from moments ago. The boy smiled again.

"I'm afraid I can't answer that now, the more important question is who are you?" the child folded his arms and looked up expectantly, "You aren't from around here are you?"

"Nope, I'm Monkey D. Luffy," the captain replied with all honesty.

"Hmm, could you come with me, Monkey D. Luffy? You and your friend may be more special than you realize. I am here to confirm it."

"Why?"

The child's grin lessened just a fraction, "If you are who I believe you to be, then you could contribute to our great cause..."

"Not interested," Luffy said, picking his nose with his pinky. The epitome of disinterest.

"Wait, you didn't even hear what the cause was!" The boy's face turned sour with distaste.

"I am going to become King of the Pirates, and help my _nakama _acheive their dreams," Luffy flicked his booger away, "There is no greater cause for me."

The boy bowed his head and giggled, "It isn't an option."

Luffy crouched into a fighting stance, his legs plastered with mud. His gaze became more intense in the shadow cast by his hat. Brook didn't hesitate to draw Soul Solid, the freezing aura of the blade turning the rain in close proximity into hail. The cold pellets sent slight vibrations into his arm whenever they struck the metal.

The giggling rose and the boy raised his hand in a signal. Yellow lights from all sides simultaneously flashed. Brook's eye was accustomed to seeing these kinds of flashes and immediately recognized it as earth alchemy.

"Luffy-san!" Brook gasped as the ground beneath them trembled violently. These were alchemists! And there were so many! Thick earthen walls shot up all around them and encased them into a world of darkness and silence.

He couldn't see a damn thing. He could feel the freezing mud seeping into his pants were he had fallen onto his knees. His hands blindly groped around for his cane sword and instead grabbed Luffy's ankle.

"Luffy-san?" the skeleton repeated, much more quietly this time. He sensed the tendons in the boy's ankle twitch as Luffy twisted his torso to face his musician.

"It's okay, Brook," his voice never failed to reassure the skeleton, "It's just that mystery power, right? We'll just bust out and get them as usual!"

Standing up, Brook nodded to himself. That's right, they'll get out. He listened intently as the sound of rubber stretching echoed in the cramped space.

"Gomu Gomu no Pistol!" the captain shouted then yelped as there was a smacking noise followed by a thump.

"Luffy-san?"

"There's not enough room in here to stretch!" the captain grumbled in frustration, "And the walls are very smooth!"

Brook chuckled, "It's okay. If we find my sword, I could get us out."

"Okay!"

For the next moment, nothing could be heard but the squelching and sloshing of mud. That was when the shaking started again.

Brook's teeth chattered and his knees buckled again under the violent tremors. What were the alchemists doing this time?

"Ow, Brook! I found it!"

"Quickly, pass it here-" the ground rolled underneath the two pirates and gave away. The skeleton's stomach jumped into his throat as he plunged downward to who-knows-where.

"Brook!" A warm hand wrapped around his ankle and the sound of stretching was heard again, "No-!" Luffy's arm snapped back and the two continued to fall into the abyss. Brook didn't even know which way was up anymore.

It was a few more seconds before they smacked painfully into the ground and Brook cracked his head against the cold stone.

...

A/N Okay! More action! Yay! Please tell me how I could have done better!

I also used some latin in this chapter, in case you were wondering.

_Lorem ipsum dolor si: _Welcome

_Silentium et lingua, eas: _And may you go with a silent tongue.

_Visus: _Vision


	7. Chapter 7: Disadvantages

A/N Hello, Bonjour, Konnichiwa, Ni hao!

I am terribly sorry for the long hiatus, I was planning for Animazement with my friends and I had severe writer's block. I got most of the wrinkles smoothed out now, so I hope you will take the time to just sit back and enjoy. This year, I cosplayed as Spirit Albarn. You can find pictures on deviantart on my account, same username as here X) It was great fun!

Thank yous to everyone who has ever reviewed in the past! They were very supportive and spirit-boosting!

Without further ado (except for the disclaimer) here's chapter 7!

I don't own _One Piece_ or_ Fullmetal Alchemist_ X)

...

_The Price Paid_

Chapter 7: _Disadvantages_

The first thing Brook became aware of was the intense pain in his skull. He stirred, pushing himself onto his hands and knees. His vision blurred and his elbows trembled with the strain. A cool blanket of pressure weighed down on him, coaxing him back into the darkness. The musician shook his head wildly to dislodge the stubborn fatigue and heard a sharp clack as a shard from his forehead fell onto the stone floor. He gaped at the white object, he really must have hit his head hard when he fell...

"Luffy-san?!" he gasped as memories of their predicament crashed back. The skeleton rushed to stand, head reeling as he searched the darkness for his captain, "Luffy-san, are you okay?"

He heard no reply, fueling his shaky efforts to find the boy. It was really dim, and Brook kept on stumbling in his search.

There was no sign of the infamous pirate.

"Luffy!" Brook called out before tripping and tumbling head-over-heels. He groaned as the exhaustion washed over him again. Why does he feel so tired? It's not like he could get concussions.

"Oh, so you are finally awake?" A soft, lovely voice sounded out from the shadows, making the skeleton jump, "Good."

"W-who's there?" Brook stuttered nervously, peering into the blackness.

"That is not important," there was a movement that caught the musician's eye, a shadow detaching from the wall, "The more pressing matter is who you are, Brook."

The skeleton's jaw dropped, "How do you know my name?"

The small shadow paused and leaned against a staglamite; it pulled down its hood to reveal a halo of pale gold hair and a round face, "It wasn't hard to figure out when Monkey D. Luffy kept calling out your name while trying to protect you, despite being weakened by the seastone deposits in these mines."

Brook stared at the fair boy. If he had a heart, it would have been thudding in his ears. Seastone? That would explain his persistant fatigue. No this doesn't look good at all. It sounds like Luffy's situation is just as bad as his if not worse. Who are these people? Did they capture them for their bounties? If so, then why were they separated? The skeleton's mind began to whirl furiously.

"What did you do to my captain?" Brook articulated slowly, trying desperately to calm his trembling.

The child smiled at his apparent fear and drew something out from behind his back. The slender object caught the poor lighting just right and lit up brilliantly like a beacon of hope. Soul Solid.

"We are not harming him, I promise you. He is simply going through the same test as you," A small grin accompanied the response.

"If it's the same test, why separate us?" Brook asked, his gaze fixed on the sword. How could he get it back?

The child smirked and observed the long thin blade, "Dear Brook, have you ever gone to school? It's wrong to cheat on a test! Separating you will procure the best results for both testers."

Brook's knees shook. Goodness, it was difficult to stand! "What are are we being tested on?" _And why did you have to attack us? _

The boy raised his arm and slashed the air before him, making the skeleton flinch, "Whether or not you have seen the Gate of Truth."

"The Gate?!" Brook's jaw fell open then snapped shut. A glint appeared in the child's eye.

"Ah, you've heard of it at least," the child sounded very pleased with himself. The malicious chuckle that followed sent chills down the skeleton's spine, "Good, very good. Have you seen it? If you lie, I'm going to kill you and your captain."

The true reason for the separation dawned on Brook. They were separated because of their bond as nakama. He knew Luffy would be more docile if someone threatened to kill his crewmates, especially if he had no idea what their condition was. He would comply to someone else's will for a while, to protect his friends. Brook wouldn't hesitant to do the same. Their bond, normally a huge advantage to them, was now a disadvantage, and these people knew it.

Brook paused to think for a moment, his answer might cause Luffy his life. Luffy had to live, no matter what, "I-i don't know..." He replied as truthfully as he could. Evidence points toward it, but the only thing he remembered was the dream. He had no way to confirm it.

The blond boy frowned, "No one said that before... Interesting. I suppose we'll have to force the answer out of you." At that, he straightened his relaxed stance and pointed the sword at the musician, "Prepare yourself. Perform a transmutation."

"Wha-?" Brook began but choked on his words when the boy lunged forward with the cane sword, his dark eyes gleaming with malevolence. He twisted at the last second, the edge of the blade gouging across his cheekbone. A dark curl from his afro fell to the ground as the boy flicked the blade. The skeleton became horrified, "My hair!"

"It's just hair," another flick sent Brook scrambling away in panic, "It'll grow back."

The skeleton loomed over the boy and replied hotly, "You don't understand! I'm dead! It doesn't grow, brat!" his rebuke ended with a pathetic yelp when the boy swiped at his precious hair again with a smirk. He jumped away, attempting to put some distance between them. He couldn't let his hair get cut... it was the only certain way Laboon could recognize him!

"Don't call me brat, or I'll be sure to cut it all off. Now transmute!"

Brook huffed as another wave of exhaustion hit, "Give me time to draw a circle then-!" Oh, how he longed to call him brat already! His back hit the wall and he froze with shock. What to do-? "AAAUUUG!" he screamed as the child thrusted at him.

Pain shot up his back as the sword pierced his shirt and lodged itself in his ribcage. The brat must have nicked his spine. Had he flesh, that would have incapacitated him. It was like that time with Zoro... except he didn't hurt the musician. He couldn't be killed like this, but being stabbed was still heart-stopping. Suddenly an idea hit him. He went limp around the sword.

"What? You are dead? What a shame..." the smug tone in his voice didn't sound disappointed in the least.

At that moment, Brook wrapped his hands around the sharp metal and forced his aura into the blade. The air surrounding him dropped several degrees as Soul Solid froze over instantly. There was a sharp intake of breath and he looked up hopefully. Did he get him?

The boy stood a few feet away, glaring at the glove that had frozen onto the handle of the blade, "Well, that was unexpected... no matter."

Brook stood up, his cane sword in hand at last. It was comforting to hold the blade that had been with him for decades. He took up his fighting stance, desperately trying to mask the trembling that rattled his bones. Yes, he had his sword, but this child just stabbed him without a second thought. What caused this boy's morality to tarnish so? He appeared to be 10 years old at the most.

He was dangerous.

Brook gulped and gauged the distance between them. He could make a thrust and corner him. Then maybe he could get some answers. He tensed and then made his move. He bent his elbow, wrist level with his jawbone and then violently twisted his slim shoulders, propelling the blade forward as he simultaneously straightened his arm with graceful force. That should scare this brat...

There was a bright flash of yellow and a staglamite appeared before him. The tip of Soul Solid struck the hard stone, sending horrible vibrations up his arm. Another flash appeared and the rock jolted forward, knocking him off his feet. A deafening crack resounded as the force of the impact broke Brook's arm. He let out a screech as the stone setlled on top of him, his right arm stuck bent at an impossible angle against his creaking ribs. The pain dulled Brook's senses and exhaustion threatened to claim him once more.

Goodness knows what happened to the sword.

He struggled underneath the great weight, but he did not have the same admirable strength as Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Franky. His main advantage was his speed, and that was put to a halt by the seastone deposits in these mines. The musician let out a labored exhale, all too aware that his ribcage was about to cave in on itself. The child sat on top of the rock, watching the skeleton with amusement.

"You know, all you have to do is transmute without a circle. Then we can stop this pathetic nonsense," he rested his round chin in his hand and sighed.

The musician glared at the boy, "I... d-don't ... know how!" he huffed with exertion.

Frowning, the boy pulled out a piece of chalk from his sleeve and rubbed it against the boulder's surface. Brook was fairly certain he was drawing another transmutation circle, "Well, either you remember soon or you will be pulverized into a powder. I don't know how well your soul will remain attatched to your bones..."

There was another flash of yellow, Earth-based alchemy, and a long narrow form rose from the side of the boulder. It narrowed into a sharp point and the boy calmly detached it from the stone. He smiled at Brook and lay on his stomach so that his head and shoulders hung over the side.

"W-wait... did you say soul-?" Brook gasped from beneath him.

The young boy raised the spike over his head, the adorable grin on his face twisting into ugly sadism, "Let's see just how much your soul can take."

As the lethal weapon descended in slow motion, Brook felt a nauseating lurch in his gut as unpleasant images began pouring into his skull.

Oh, but he didn't have any-

...

A/N Finally, the moment of Truth! (No pun intended) The next chapter is coming soon, for certain. Ja mata!


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